Swimming Upstream with Mercury Retrograde

Navigating Mercury's beckpedal through Pisces

Face it: Mercury Retrograde is a part of life. They happen several times a year and are never a reason to panic. And if you haven't heard, there's a Mercury Retrograde coming at us right now! From February 23 - March 17, 2013, Mercury will backtrack through spiritual Pisces.

When Mercury goes into hibernation, life on Earth does tend to become more wacky and frustrating so it's a good idea to know what to expect during each particular cycle. This time around, Mercury will backtrack in tender Pisces and in the middle of winter -- well that could pose a few unique problems! But if you need clear answers, be sure to try our Yes or No Tarot reading.

Pisces is a sign that loves to daydream and sleep. When Mercury turns retrograde in this sign, it's quite possible that you and everyone at your office will have a problem with your alarm clock (either the mechanical one or your internal one) and find that lateness to work is more of a problem. You can't exactly tell your boss that it's Mercury's fault, so be sure to take extra precautions and make sure your alarm clock is working or your cell phone alarm is turned on.

Work and play at bay

If you're at a staff meeting and it's way too boring, you may zone out and get caught! These next three weeks are not an ideal time to pitch a vital presentation. If you do, you're likely to find that your audience has the attention span of a gnat. Yikes! Better take some time now to polish up your presentation and find ways to make it more creative and inspirational -- two of Pisces favorite things!

By this time, everyone is sick of winter and ready for a break. Usually, we take time off to go someplace warm or exotic and count down the days until we're lost in paradise. Well, this time, Mercury will be asleep at the wheel during weeks you need to plan for your vacation so you can expect a few snafus. If you try to buy your plane ticket, for example, you're likely to find that all flights are booked. Or you'll have to endure a layover to Timbuktu or you pay top dollar for your airfare or other travel arrangements. Hopefully, Mercury will have gone direct by the time you actually take your vacation but the planning phase of it might be an absolute nightmare so please think ahead and think twice. The last thing you need is a fully booked itinerary with a lost passport! You might also find that it's more difficult to get time off work if you ask for it during Mercury Retrograde. It seems like everyone else wants to go away and your boss might need you around to hold down the fort while your coworkers are off having fun in the sun. Don't let that happen -- plan ahead!

Give me a (tax) break!

Perhaps the most aggravating nuisance of all this Mercury Retrograde will be that it occurs at the height of tax season. You'll need to carefully navigate this and either have your taxes filed and finished before Mercury turns retrograde (a week before is best to avoid the shadow) or wait until after March 18 to begin the process. If you don't, there might be lost tax forms, miscommunication with your accountant, and any number of other pitfalls that will give you a big fat headache! Also, since Mercury will be retrograde in the charitable sign of Pisces, make sure you have all of the proper receipts for your charitable donations. Because Pisces also rules water, this retrograde phase might make it particularly challenging for business owners who were also victims of hurricane Sandy to file taxes with ease.

If you can take it all in stride and prepare in advance, Mercury Retrograde this time around doesn't have to cause you total grief. In fact, you might end up enjoying those extra moments in dream land ... just don't let your boss catch you!